This is going to sound really negative, but I honestly dont mean it to. It is a question that I really want some guidance on.

Coming from, and enjoy, other mmos, specifically hard-core raiding and progression-gated ones (WoW, EQ, Lotro (before f2p), FFXIV, etc.), I am really struggling to understand 'why' I do anything in GW2. I enjoy the gameplay, and I like the classes, but I dont see a reason to be doing anything. I dont need ascended gear to do anything, most of the ascended gear you get simply by logging on, and the other pieces are so much of a grind that by the time you get it, you are past the content you need it for.

You don't get the privilege of going back to low level areas and smashing everything because of zone-level matching. Near as I can tell, a new level 80 who buys exotic gear off the AH is just as good as a 190+ mastery. (I am not talking skill, just stats and such) My character does not seem to benefit from the hours I pour in. He is the same character he was when I bought gear of the AH when he hit 80, minus 4 pieces of ascended gear from Laurels. After doing HoT, and now starting PoF, I just dont see what I am doing it 'for.'

I want to reiterate, this is not a 'I hate GW2' post. I am really hoping for some help, because I enjoy the game when I am not thinking about progression lol. But the moment I think to myself, "Why I am doing 4 zones of HoT Completion for Nevermore when I don't need Nevermore to accomplish anything in the game." I get super de-motivated to play the game.

This is going to sound really dumb, but is GW2 supposed to be a game you 'just play for fun?' Is the why just supposed to be 'because I want to?" Is there some kind of vertical progression I am not seeing?

Thank you to everyone who answers, I appreciate it.